A Journey Into Joy
Step 10 — Week 4: The Return
Step 10 The Return With the “reward” in hand (step 9), it’s time to head home. But the journey isn’t over yet. It’s at this stage where we deal with the consequences of everything that has lead us to this point. The ordeal may have given us some version of success, but things have changed now. Perhaps some long-hidden, deeply repressed limiting beliefs or fears are sensing that we’re getting too close for comfort and they may put some added obstacles in our way. Whatever those are, we must face them before our journey is complete.
For me I plan to continue with the areas covered in the weeks of Step 1 (health, home, The Mandala Lady, and my purpose).
To join in on the journey, visit the MandalaoftheMonth.com to download the mandala to color and learn more about this step.
Here’s my journal entry for step 9–week 4: My Purpose
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been getting the message “stop playing small” in various ways…enough to get my attention anyway. It’s requiring some childhood healing where I took on the mantle: “children should be seen but not heard” …which translated (in my mind) to “be quiet” and “no one wants to hear what you have to say”.
A couple of issues have come up about my relationship with my dad that I have yet to fully process. I believe there is a big part of me that has taken on the woundings of my father.
This past week I had a dream where I was on a rural road. Up ahead was another woman who was about to be surprised with a fighter jet fly-over for (or from) her father. I stayed back because I didn’t want to take away from her moment…but it tore at my heart. Then off in the distance we could see the jet coming. I flew in low and right over head, turned and flew back where it came from. I wanted to cry tears of joy for her that she was getting this surprise and at the same time it made me weep because I would have loved that surprise for myself. And then, just as I was starting to wake up, I heard myself painfully cry out in the dream “why did you leave me?” Whoa! That was a surprise.
I dont recall any situation with my father where he “left” me. He passed away in 2020 at the age of 96 (I was about 67). So I doubt seriously it had anything to do with his passing. No, this felt old … like a long time ago, old. Anyway, something further to explore, process, and heal.
A thought just popped into my head right now: my dad and I used to fight a lot so it’s interesting that there was a fighter jet in the dream. Another thought occurred to me…it could be that what the question really meant was: why did you leave me without apologizing for all the pain and suffering you caused? I think there’s something to this thought…feeling a bit of a heart tug on this one.
That’s it for now.
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
🌟 bringing sanity to an insane world through the art of mandalas
ABOUT “A JOURNEY INTO JOY”
With all the anxiety and stress in the world right now, focusing on joy may seem a bit counterintuitive. Mais contraire mes amis. We actually need more joy in our lives…now more than ever. And it starts within each of us. It’s been my experience that when in that higher vibrational state of joy, it helps raise the vibration of those around us as well.
Brené Brown defines joy as “an intense feeling of deep spiritual connection, pleasure, and appreciation”. Of late, I mostly experience only moments of happiness and on a rare occasion, joy…thus my desire to journey into joy.
My quest throughout this year is to explore, experience, and express this state in a variety of ways, including following a variation of the hero’s journey, as professed by Jospeh Campbell.
Care to join me? Here’s how…
MandalaoftheMonth.com: On the first of the month, I’ll create and post a mandala for coloring. Each month we’ll take another step along the “journey into joy” by following a modified version Joseph Campbell’s a hero’s journey. Included in each step will be a description of the step and prompts for coloring and/or journaling for the month. You’re welcome to color them as well…they’re free to download.
MandalaoftheWeek.com: Each Monday I’ll be posting my coloring of that month’s Mandala of the Month, which will produce 4-5 colorings of that design. With each one, I intend to dig deeper into the message of that month’s mandala. You’re welcome to color along as well.
Mandala of the Week 